Ore-washer



(No ModeL) 2 Slieets-Sheet 2.

E; E. OREPIN.

ORE WASHER. No. 468,406. Patented Feb. 9,1892,

{K6292 asses jizvenfor ii Bonn? HM V A I '4 UNITED STATES PATENT @EEICE.

ERNEST E. GREPIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ORE-WASHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 468,406, dated February9, 1892.

Application filed April 24, 1891. Serial No. 390,257. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may cancer/1 Be it known that I, ERNEST E. CREPIN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Ore-\Vashers, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact specification.

My invention relates to washing, concentrating, or purifying ores, andhas for its objcct to provide convenient means for washing pulverizedore and removing from the ore refuse or valuelcss matter.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein-Figure 1 is a sectional view longitudinally through the device. Fig. 2is a cross-section; and Fig. 3 is a perspective detailof the sluicewayand scrapers. Fig. 4. is a plan view.

Like parts are indicated by the saxneletter in all the figures.

A A is a suitable frame-work, upon which the parts are supported.

B is an ore-crusher, driver. belt C from the pulley D on the shaft E, onwhich are also arranged the sprocket-wheels F F. These sprocket-wheelsdrive the chains G G, which also pass over the sprocketwheels II II.These wheels are arranged upon the frame at the extremities of thesluiceway J, and the power is applied in such a manner that the chainsare drawn up along the sluiceway while the sluiceway is inclined in theopposite direction, as indicated in Fig. 1. The chains pass along or hein grooves K K in the bottom of the sluiceway and carry scrapers I. L,secured upon the arms M M, so as to pass upward within the sluiceway,their lower edges bearing closely against the bottom thereof. Beneaththe sprocket-wheels F F is the chute N, and beneath the sprocket-wheelsII II is the chute O. From the crusher leads the chute P to thesluiceway. The scrapers L L are arranged substantially as shown, thoughtheir positions and proportions could be changed. In placing a scraper Lin position its ends should be a she distance from the sides of thesluice and its height somewhat less than the height of the sides of thesluice. I then place, preferably, three short scrapers L L L, havingeach one extremity close to one side of the sluice, the other extremityconsiderably removed from the side of the sluice, so as to, form azigzag way from one scraper L to the next scraper L. The scrapers L Lmaybe a less height than the scrapers L.

The shape, size, and arrangement of the parts could be considerablyaltered without departing from the spirit of my invention.

R is a water-pipe discharging into the upper endof, tlie lsluicewayiandcontrolled by the valve S.

The use and operation of my invention are are as follows: The ore,suitably crushed and prepared in the crusher I or in any other suitablecrusher, is passed through the chute P into the sluiceway J, preferablyat a point below the middle of the latter. Here it tends to pass up theinclined sluiceway, being scraped therealong by the scrapers L- L on themoving chains G G. A current of water is discharged into the upper endof this sluiceway from the pipe Rand passes down the sluiceway, carryingthe particles of extrancous matter down with it, where it dischargesover the sprocket-wheels II ll. If any portion of the metal shouid becarried down with this wateig itrwill ss on settle at some lower point,on aecount bf its greater weight, and thus the matter deposited in thesluiceway is continually being cleaned and carried upward, where it isfinally discharged in its clean condition into the chute N, whence itmay pass on tc ny other treatment to which it may 'be 'dcsig. d.Tlieoperation might be more or less varied by altering the position ofthe water-pipes and ore-chutes; but the mode of operation is essentiallyas described above. The current of water is not very large, but enoughto cause a definite flow of waterin a zigzag course, as indicated by thearrows, between and along the several scrapers. It is not intended thatthe water should, pass, at least in any considerable quantity, over thetops of the scrapers. The pulverized ore is carried in front of eachscraper and banks in front of the scraper as it proceeds, but when itreaches the top of such scraper falls forward, and continues from timete' time toprgove inatihis manner, so that the ore is exposed in a i rythorough manner to the flow of wateit-and hence is thoroughly cleaned.The motion of the scrapers is of course comparatively slow.

1. In an ore-Washer, the combination of an ore-supply chute with awater-supply pipe, both opening into an inclined water-tight sluiceway,said sluieeway having one or more grooves in the bottom, with one ormore chains which pass through such grooves, and scrapers secured uponand moving with said chains and substantially equal in length to theWidth of the sluiceway and scraping along the bottom of the sluice,substantiall y as and for the purpose shown, and an ore-receiving partat one end and a Waste-receiving part at the other.

2. In an ore-Washer, the combination of an inclined sluiceway with aseries of scrapers therein and means for moving them up the ERNEST E.CREIIN.

Witnesses:

lELEsTE P. CHAPMAN, ll. M. DAY.

